


The First and Last Time

by thisstoryneedsanending



Category: Jojo Rabbit (2019)
Genre: First Kiss, First Meetings, First Time, Firsts, Fluff and Angst, M/M
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2021-01-04
Updated: 2021-02-12
Packaged: 2021-03-15 01:34:22
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 6
Words: 5,258
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/28555443
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/thisstoryneedsanending/pseuds/thisstoryneedsanending
Summary: A handful of small pieces describing Captain K and Sub-officer Finkel’s firsts (and ultimately lasts).
Relationships: Freddy Finkel/Captain Klenzendorf
Comments: 12
Kudos: 18





	1. First Impressions

The first time Freddy Finkel saw Captain Klenzendorf was at a railway station in Austria. He had been sent to the station in order to retrieve the soon-arriving Captain and show him around the town. He thought the Captain was incredibly charming, maybe a little full of himself at times, but charming. He admired his charisma and respected him for not taking shit from anyone, not even his superiors. He exuded masculinity and was well respected by his peers, two things that Finkel strived to have. 

The more he got to know the older man, he had to admit he had warmed up to him. He saw the captain’s softer side, one that was kind and understanding to those who were in need of it. Finkel could have sworn there were moments where his insecurities peeked through the mann’s bravado, but he didn’t mind.

* * *

The first time Captain Klenzendorf saw Freddy Finkel was when he stepped off of the train platform. He had been sent there to replace another Captain that had been killed in an air raid. He thought the cadet was a bit overbearing and insecure. Despite this, he noticed how loyal and willing to help he was. The young man was far more concerned about the well-being of the Austrian people and he respected that a great deal. It wasn’t everyday the captain met a man who had concerns for the countries Germany ultimately invaded, so he was impressed to say the least.

The more he got to know Finkel, the more he enjoyed his presence. He picked up on small movements he made when he was nervous and tried to accommodate that. He kept the cadet close to him and took him under his wing, wanting to help the man build his confidence and keep himself safe.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> woah oki my first fic!! i’m not a great writer but I thought this would be a cute concept! idk when i’ll update bc i’m not a crazy consistent person but this will be 10 parts!


	2. Realizing their Feelings for One Another

Finkel realized his feelings for his captain quite early on, which he almost immediately tried to suppress.

He was out at the firing range, practicing with about twenty others, while Captain Klenzendorf looked on.

“Finkel,” The captain suddenly said, his volume a bit too loud for being only a few feet away- ultimately making the younger man jump.

“Yes sir?”

“You’re holding it incorrectly.”

Freddy’s face flushed because he thought he _had_ been handling the new weapon correctly. He quickly acknowledged the issue by looking down to the rifle and readjusting his hand position. Apparently, it still wasn’t correct because the captain stepped closer and carefully rotated the gun in Finkel’s hands a bit. The captain placed his hands over Finkel’s as the side of his hip pressed into the younger man’s.

“What you want to do is have your hold be more firm down here,” He squeezed Finkel’s left hand and the cadet complied. “Good. Now when holding your finger over the trigger, you don’t want your arms to be too stiff or for them to sag.” He briefly let go of Finkel’s hand before moving the blond’s elbow upwards. “See how it’s more comfortable? You’re balancing the weight of the gun while preparing for the drawback when you fire.”

Finkel nodded as he tried to memorize the placement of his limbs, shifting his feet a bit when he did.

“Don’t worry about your footing, right now. You were right the first time,” The captain said as he moved behind the young man. Klenzendorf grasped the gun from around Freddy’s arms and shoulders before lifting it so the cadet could aim. “Now I want you to aim and when you’re ready, fire. Pretend like I’m not here.”

Finkel took a deep breath, aimed, curled his finger around the trigger, and pulled. The shot of the bullet rang out, mixing in with the others around them. The bullet almost struck dead center into the mannequin’s head. Finkel lowered his gun with a smile as the captain let go.

“Good job, Finkel! Keep it up.”

The captain clapped him on the back and shot him a proud smile before moving onto the next cadet. Finkel’s heart stopped when he saw the man’s smile before panicking and looking away. A pleasant warmth washed over him when he realized that the captain hadn’t put him down but had gone out of his way to help him. He anxiously wiped his forehead and as the realization settled in, he quickly lifted up his gun and made a perfect shot.

He’d be lying if he said that he hadn’t had a few flings with his fellow soldiers, but this felt completely different. There was no hint to Finkel that the captain was like him- There was no physical intimacy that lasted longer than it needed to, no prolonged gazes, and no cheeky quips or suggestive winks. He refused to allow himself to fall for his completely heterosexual captain that could turn him in if he came onto him. But… A few long glances here and there wouldn’t hurt, right? _…Right?_

  
-  
  


Klenzendorf realized his feelings for Finkel less than a month after he promoted him to be his sub-officer.

He and Finkel were out on a walk around a village, just wasting time on a Sunday, when he saw the sub-officer’s eyes light up.

“What is it?” Klenzendorf asked.

The smile on the sub-officer’s face immediately fell when the captain asked.

“It’s nothing, sir.”

Klenzendorf frowned, a bit disappointed that Finkel wasn’t smiling anymore. But, he let it slide until they came across the same area. This time Klenzendorf caught the sub-officer softly smile as his gaze trailed over to a small set of flower boxes perched on a windowsill. In an attempt to see if that is what Freddy had smiled about, he spoke up.

“Those are really pretty, aren’t they?”

“Hm?” Finkel turned to him.

“The flowers over there,” Klenzendorf made a gesture. 

“Oh,” Finkel smiled. “They’re hyacinths. They aren’t common around here.”

Klenzendorf cocked a brow. “Really? How do you know that?”

Finkel paused and toned down his excitement. “I learned from my sisters. I used to garden with them and my mom. I know it’s embarrassing and girly but it… It was nice.”

Klenzendorf looked at the younger man and could tell he was putting up a front. “It’s okay if you like botany and gardening, Finkel.”

“Do you really think that?” The sub-officer asked.

Klenzendorf nodded. “Gardening is good for your upper body while plants can be used for medicines. Plus, flowers make the world feel brighter.” He paused before adding, “I like sewing but that doesn’t make me any less of a man. Don’t be ashamed of what you enjoy.”

Finkel smiled the brightest smile Klenzendorf had ever seen and nodded. That moment made the captain’s heart skip a bit. Other than it being absolutely adorable, he found himself wanting to make the young man smile like that again- He wanted to make him happy.

“So, tell me more about these flowers.”

Later that day, Klenzendorf assured himself that his feelings were fleeting and would dissipate in no time. Of course, he found Freddy attractive. He could recognize that Finkel was a healthy and mainly fit blond man with an impressive _lower_ build _(lord, could that boy run)_ with a weirdly cute smile that was a bit crooked. But just because he was attractive didn’t mean Klenzendorf would allow himself to make any advances. Finkel was his subordinate and only that. He could keep things normal, just the same. There were others he could be intimate with on the down-low. But maybe listening to the younger man be more open about his interests wouldn’t be so bad… 


	3. First Kiss

Finkel and Klenzendorf were in the Captain’s office, lounging around after hours, which had become a common practice for them on Saturdays. By now, a year had passed and they had become relatively close, feeling far more comfortable around one another.

They had been discussing a book on ancient history that the captain had been reading, which Finkel took great interest in. That was one of their common grounds, history. Klenzendorf offered to lend it to him and Finkel eagerly accepted.

So, Klenzendorf stood and went to retrieve the book, Finkel following close behind. Not realizing that the sub-officer was **_right_ ** there, the captain picked it up and blindly handed the thick book over, smacking Finkel square in the face. The younger man let out a pained cry which immediately grabbed Klenzendorf’s attention. When he looked over, Finkel was clutching his nose while blood pooled between his fingers.

“Oh lord- Freddy, I’m so sorry-” He ushered out as he yanked his handkerchief out of his pocket, not noticing the slip of the more affectionate name. He took the sub-officer's hand in his and wiped it down before holding the cloth up to his nose. “Are you okay? Is it broken?”

“I’m uh,” Finkel took a deep breath- His head was spinning and his nose was throbbing. “I don’t think it’s broken. I just… I just need to sit down.”

Klenzendorf nodded and slowly lowered the sub-officer down onto the chair at his desk before wiping up a drop of blood and reapplying the cloth. Finkel flinched at the pressure and the captain eased up.

“I’m sorry,” Klenzendorf softly whispered.

“It’s okay, I've experienced worse.”

The captain pulled the cloth away with a nod before folding it over to a clean side.

“You know, I think we just gave having your head in a book a new meaning,” Klenzendorf joked.

Finkel laughed. “Maybe.” 

A moment passed and Klenzendorf shifted closer to adjust the cloth. Finkel flinched again when the captain dabbed his nose an additional time.

“I’m sorry,” Klenzendorf once again apologized. This time, he placed his hand just above his sub-officer’s knee when he spoke, not realizing that he did. 

But, Freddy did. Luckily, the blood was too busy flowing from his nose and not to the rest of his face. “It’s alright, K,” He assured Klenzendorf. 

Half a minute passed before the captain slowly and gently removed the handkerchief from Finkel’s nose. He gently moved the sub-officer’s face with his hand, trying to get an idea whether it was broken or not. A bit more blood trailed out of Finkel’s nose, so, with a small frown he gently wiped it up.

“You’re treating me like a worried mother,” Finkel quipped. 

Klenzendorf chuckled, glanced up to meet his sub-officer’s gaze, immediately dropped it back down to his nose, and then back up. Finkel’s gaze locked into his, making the captain pause his hand movement. Before either could comprehend what was happening, Finkel leaned in and closed the gap. Klenzendorf was pleasantly surprised but before he could reciprocate the other’s affections Finkel swiftly pulled away. 

Finkel looked at Klenzendorf with wide and dilated eyes and he went to apologize but the captain’s lips were already back on his. Finkel smiled and kissed back, his hand slipping to the back of his captain’s head. Meanwhile, Klenzendorf placed his knee onto the chair beside the other’s thigh, his hands holding onto the arms of the chair. 

Both men couldn’t get themselves to pull away except to take in small gasps of air. Finkel could taste the captain’s cigarettes and the candy he had in his mouth only minutes before. Klenzendorf could taste the beer Freddy had been drinking earlier and the slightest hint of iron. They exchanged the taste of one another until it was no longer distinguishable and their lungs were burning.

Klenzendorf’s brain was going haywire while Freddy felt so elated but also really, _really_ dizzy. They both pulled apart to take a deep breath before smashing the faces back together. Finkel let out a small pained noise and pulled away before grasping his nose; making the captain look on, worried.

“I’m sorry,” The captain softly apologized as he stroked the side of the sub-officer’s face with his thumb.

“It’s okay, but you… You have… You have blood on your face,” Finkel hazily laughed out before his eyes rolled closed and his body slumped forward.

Panicked, the captain reached out and caught the sub-officer and carefully sat him back up. “Hey, hey. I’ve got you,” He protectively cooed. He held Finkel’s face in his hands, doing his best to support his head. 

By now, Finkel’s eyes were heavily dilated, his pupils now taking over the blues of his eyes. 

“I think we should go to the medical officer.”

Finkel slightly nodded, his eyes heavy. “Kissing you was _really_ nice but I think I agree,” The sub-officer slurred.

Klenzendorf chuckled with an “Okay” before helping Finkel stand up.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> i hope you enjoyed! what do you think? :D


	4. Opening Up For the First Time

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> trigger warning for mentions of child abuse

Finkel’s nose was luckily not broken, but very fractured- Much to the captain’s embarrassment. K couldn’t help but profusely apologize to the younger woman when they found out, especially when Finkel’s eyes bruised up, but the sub-officer insisted that it was okay. Neither man had discussed the more personal events that had occurred only a few days ago, but their presence around one another changed. Their smiles were a bit warmer, their gazes lasted longer, and the accidental brush of their hands were no longer accidental. But now, back in Klenzendorf’s office, for the first time since the book incident, they were both sitting close and quietly chatting, one of the captain’s hands in both of the sub-officer’s. 

Finkel was rubbing small circles into Klenzendorf’s palm, sometimes tracing up a small scar. “You know, I...” He looked up from the captain’s hand. “I really enjoyed our night on Saturday,” Finkel softly cooed.

Klenzendorf smiled, his eyes sparkling a bit. “Even with your fractured nose?”

Finkel nodded and looked back down to the captain’s hand before looking back up. “How long have you known?”

“Ah,” Klenzendorf shook his head. “I don’t know.” He took a moment to think. “A long time now. I was a kid. Suppressed it for years. You?” 

Finkel nodded. “I was twelve,” He whispered before running his thumb up the older’s pinky. 

“You really like my hands, don’t you?” Klenzendorf asked with a small chuckle.

The sub-officer’s face flushed pink. “I just… I really like being able to hold and look at them,” He suddenly let go and placed his hands in his lap. “I’m sorry, I must be making you uncomfortable. I’m sorry.”

Klenzendorf shook his head in protest. “No, no. It’s okay. You can keep holding it.”

Finkel glanced to his lap and then up to meet Klenzendorf’s gaze. “No, it was weird. I’m sorry. I shouldn’t have done it- Especially without asking. I’m sorry.”

“Freddy,” Klenzendorf softly cooed. “It’s okay.” The captain’s hand that was lying between them inched forward and then became outstretched. “I liked it. It was comforting. I promise.”

The sub-officer hesitated for a moment before gently grasping the man’s hand again. He smiled when he felt Klenzendorf squeeze his hand.

The captain moved closer, his knee now inbetween Finkel’s, and leaned in. “If you don't mind me asking… What… Why did you apologize so much?”

Finkel forced out a small laugh as he shook his head. “I just felt bad.”

Klenzendorf frowned. He could tell that there was more than that. So, he raised his free hand to cup the side of Finkel’s face. The sub-officer flinched and closed his eyes, but untensed when he felt Klenzendorf’s hand gently hold the left side of his face. He opened his eyes and looked at the captain with a bit of confusion.

“You can tell me the truth, Freddy. I won’t judge you,” Klenzendorf insisted.

Finkel nodded and took a moment to decide whether or not he wanted to begin. With a deep breath, he began. “My father... He uh,” He thickly swallowed. “He didn’t like it when I was physically affectionate when I was a kid and he’d um,” He closed his eyes, rolled his lips, went to say something but retracted and glanced away.

“Don’t force yourself to continue if you’re too uncomfortable,” Klenzendorf assured him as he rubbed the side of the sub-officer’s face in with his thumb. “My father was like that too so I- I understand.” This made Finkel look back, his eyes watery as Klenzendorf adjusted to a softer tone. “I’d never do whatever he did to you, I promise. I’ll never hurt you.” A beat. “At least on purpose.”

Finkel laughed at that and leaned into the other man’s touch.

“Can I kiss you?” The captain softly asked.

A small smile found its way onto Finkel’s face as he nodded.  _ “Yes.” _

The two gently met in the middle while their hands found their way to the sides of the other’s face. The kiss was soft and incredibly gentle on Klenzendorf’s end, not wanting to agitate Finkel’s fractured nose or the bruising around his eyes. Their bodies slowly moved closer, the younger of the two almost entirely leaning out of his chair. The moment slowly became more heated, and although Finkel now donned a thick nose splint, it didn’t keep him from desperately pressing into the kiss. Soon Klenzendorf’s hands were firmly placed on the sides of the younger’s arms, pulling him closer and deeper, wanting to taste more of him. Finkel moaned into the kiss and placed his hand on Klenzendorf’s right pec before moving it downward. When Klenzendorf felt the pressure he moaned right back and pressed closer for a moment before pulling away.

“Wait,” He panted, trying to crash his breath as he did so.

“I’m sorry,” Finkel hurriedly began. “I shouldn’t have done that without-”

“It’s okay,” Klenzendorf interrupted, easing Finkel’s worry. “I just… I just think we should wait.” Finkel made a face. “It’s not that I don’t want to-”  _ It had been far too long since he had gotten off with someone else. _ “But, I don’t want to accidentally make your face already more sore than it is.”

Freddy’s concerned look eased into a look of relief as his heart felt like it was melting into a pile of goo knowing that the captain cared so much.

“I promise the day you get this thing off we’ll do it.”

Finkel breathily laughed and pressed his forehead to Klenzendorf’s. “Okay.”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> i hope you enjoyed reading! i ended up extending this series by 4 chapters so it will now be going for 14 chapters! i hope y’all are excited as i am !! :)


	5. Being Sexually Intimate

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> this isn’t explicit :)
> 
> bad puns ahead

Finkel would be lying if he were to say that he wasn’t counting down the days until his nose brace could be removed and Klenzendorf would be lying if he were to say that he hadn’t asked Finkel when the removal date was, just out of impatience.

Luckily, their jobs kept them occupied enough to pass time for a few weeks. The first time they saw one another after Freddy got it off the tension was immediate.

“Finkel,” Klenzendorf simply greeted, his gaze trapping the other man’s.

“Captain,” Finkel replied, his gaze just as intense as K’s.

“My desk has become a bit,” He paused for the slightest moment. “Messy as of late.”

The corners of the sub-officer’s lips twitched upward. “I assume you want me to come and clean it up?”

Klenzendorf smiled. “I expect to see you at eight tonight.”

-

Finkel arrived at 7:55, not that either man would complain, and before they knew it, they were both sprawled atop of Klenzendorf’s desk, papers all over the floor and files spilling open (they’d actually _have_ to clean up later).

“I’ve been wanting to do this for so fucking long,” K growled as he ripped off his shirt.

Finkel chuckled and pulled down the other man by his shoulders before running a hand down the captain’s chest. “I honestly wouldn’t have minded if you wanted to fuck me in a bathroom stall the day I met you.”

Klenzendorf smiled and dipped back down.

The captain quickly learned that Finkel was far less passive during sex- He was a bit bossy, handsy, and liked to tease (a lot)- But the captain didn’t mind at all. He liked having a challenge, in or out of sexual moments. 

Finkel learned that Klenzendorf was incredible in just _ravishing_ his body during sex and that the older man really liked his hair being pulled (this was more so on accident) and it was one of the sexiest things in the world to the sub-officer.

When they finished, they took a moment to breathe as their gazes danced around one another’s before meeting as they smiled.

“I think that’s the most illegal thing I’ve ever done,” Finkel said with a heavy exhale, one that replied alleviating evident worry that had washed over him.

Klenzendorf’s expression softened in understanding before he softly kissed Finkel’s lips. “Same here,” He paused. “Now let's get cleaned up.”

When they finished getting dressed, it dawned on them both on how much of a mess that they had made; And begrudgingly began to pick up.

“If you couldn’t tell from my silent screams and the mess- That was pretty good,” Finkel said with a smirk as he scooped up the final pile of papers.

K smiled and shuffled some papers into a drawer. “It was, but next time I’ll clear the desk off so we don’t have to,” He made a wide gesture. “Clean up so much.”

Finkel nodded and suddenly smirked to himself. “I guess you can say you-” He held up a vanilla folder. “De- _filed_ me.”

Klenzendorf looked at the sub-officer as though he had just said something absolutely scandalous. “I don’t think you’ve made such a bad joke before.”

“Mm you’ve fucked me silly,” Finkel cooed before stepping forward and playing with the front of Klenzendorf’s shirt.

“Oh dear God,” K mumbled.

Freddy giggled with a smile as he leaned in for a kiss. Klenzendorf ran a hand up the other man’s back while Finkel weaved his hands up into the captain’s hair. K let out a pleased hum, making the sub-officer smirk.

“You really like that, don’t you?”

The captain chuckled.

“I think you already know the answer to that.”

Finkel smiled and lightly massaged Klenzendorf’s scalp. K hummed and the two softly met in the middle, just enjoying their post-sex bliss.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> SO SORRY FOR THE LATE UPDATE 🥺🥺🥺❤️❤️❤️
> 
> also i was so proud of those puns like an hour ago and now i’m like “that’s not smart”
> 
> i've ALSO got a mini modern au for them coming up :)))


	6. "I love you."

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> They're both fucking oblivious to the fact that they're in a loving and sweet relationship and have literally never thought to classify it all as love until now.

Klenzendorf realized that he had definitely been in love with Finkel for quite a long time now, but it only really dawned on him recently. What made it click was Freddy’s smile- The smile that he adored. He had been discussing transfers with the sub-officer when Finkel laughed at a joke, a stupid one, really- But his smile was wide and crooked in all the right ways and it was just perfect.

The captain looked at Finkel for just a moment longer, maybe hoping that the smile would return... And then it just… made sense. He was in love with Friedrich Otto Finkel.

_ Love. _ What a weird concept that was. K was never fond of the feeling of attachment- His father beat the feeling out of him when he was younger. Now, especially during wartime- It was definitely  _ not _ the time to become attached to anyone, but he already had with Freddy many,  _ many,  _ months ago- So why not pursue this feeling,  _ love,  _ just this one time?

-

One night, after a bit of a more  _ intimate _ moment, the two men were lying down on the desk; Finkel lying on his back with Klenzendorf lying on top- his arms loosely hooked around the sub-officer. It was something they started to do after sex, not entirely on purpose, but just because it felt nice. It was risky, maybe riskier than just having sex and leaving it at that, but the personal moment was appreciated. So, there they were, naked and cuddling on top of one of the most uncomfortable places to lie on while Finkel raked his fingers up into the hair on the back of Klenzendorf’s head, making the captain let out a small pleased noise. The sub-officer chuckled and gently tugged (a month or so had passed since he found out about this little quirk and he had to admit that he liked teasing K with it). Klenzendorf smiled and nuzzled his nose into the crook of his partner’s neck before placing a mouthy-kiss there. Finkel smiled as he felt the captain kiss down his neck before trailing down his chest, and stomach, past his v-line, and down the inside of his thigh. Finkel softly sighed and carefully sat up, looking down at the captain as he did so.

“Have I ever told you how sweet you are?” He asked as the captain left a fresh hickey on the inside of Finkel’s thigh; one amongst many others, new and old.

Klenzendorf looked up with a cheesy smile, a rare look that didn’t appear often, and squeezed the mark-covered skin below the pads of his fingers. “Only with you.”

That made Finkel playfully roll his eyes as the captain stood and leaned in to give him a kiss. Finkel smiled and cupped K’s face, loosely wrapping his legs around the back of Klenzendorf’s legs as he did so. The two shared a few wet kisses before pulling away for air. They shared a gentle (and dare I say,  _ loving _ ) gaze when Klenzendorf just decided to say it- To get it out in the open- To be honest and vulnerable.

“I love you.”

Freddy froze before squeaking out a small  _ “What?” _

“I love you,” Klenzendorf repeated, quieter this time.

“I… Wow, I-” Finkel nervously ran a hand back through his hair. “I don’t know what to say.”

The way Klenzendorf looked at him should have made him realize what he wanted to say but Finkel was feeling overwhelmed. They stared at one another for what felt like ages before K realized that Finkel really  _ didn’t _ know what to say. So, he stepped back, discouraged and feeling far too exposed (between being naked and feeling rejected) and looked at his watch, which was lying on his desk chair, atop of his clothing.

“It’s getting late,” He sighed. “We should wrap up.”

“Okay,” Finkel nervously exhaled as he slid off the desk and grabbed his underwear and shirt.

Not much was said afterward, except for a soft  _ ‘Goodnight’  _ and a  _ ‘See you tomorrow’ _ after they cleaned up and before Finkel left. The sub-officer’s mind was racing as he headed out of the office, his fingers fiddling with one another as he tried to process what had just happened while still trying to hold up his façade. K loved him. He  _ loved _ him. Surely he had heard him wrong. Or maybe he had fallen asleep after a night with the captain and he was having some surreal dream- So, he pinched himself.

_ Ow. _

_ Okay, not a dream. _ This was real and Klenzendorf  _ loved  _ him. 

Knowing that was such an incredibly overwhelming feeling that he never expected to have in the middle of a war, especially because of the man he worked under. Sure, he didn’t mind that K loved him, in fact, that made him buzz and feel incredibly happy (on top of all of his nerves). As he settled into his bunk that night, he began to imagine little scenarios and small domestic moments like baking pastries or taking small trips to the countryside and just being mushy and sweet with one another because they-  _ Wait a minute,  _ did he love K back? 

… 

_Jesus Christ, he did._ _He loved K_. 

He took an unsteady breath and raked his fingers back through his hair, a smile forming on his face as he looked up to the bunk a few feet above him. He loved K and K loved him. He went to bed quite content that night, heart aflutter and stomach full of butterflies.

Meanwhile, back with Klenzendorf, the captain was feeling embarrassed, something he never really felt. He wished he never let himself reveal his cards because it was dawning on him how much of a terrible idea it was. He believed that he had just made the situation between him and Finkel incredibly awkward. He could have sworn that there was something there on Finkel’s end too and now… He realized that he thought wrong and if he hadn’t caught romantic feelings they could probably just continue to fuck on the side and get something out of one another.

For some reason, every moment in which Finkel showed him an incredible amount of compassion, every unspoken word of understanding, and every shared gaze of  _ want _ and  _ need _ (sexual or not) was completely erased from his mind. He was just so upset that he let himself open up and love someone after years of repressing romantic interest and ruined such a  _ lovely _ arrangement of hooking up. 

He traveled out of his office, trying his best to not look upset as he made his way to the captain’s quarters, where he ultimately didn’t get too much sleep that night.

-

The next day went seemingly smooth on Freddy’s end- Sending K subtle smiles and brushing his knuckles to the other man’s as discreetly and carefully as he could. That changed when he realized how  _ weird _ the captain was acting around him. Klenzendorf was usually far more charismatic and would usually reciprocate his actions with a small nod or sign that he recognized that Finkel was trying to convey affection (once again, as discreetly as they could during these times) but now the captain was almost completely unresponsive, only talking to him when needed and sometimes giving him a tight-lipped smile. Finkel reflected back on the previous night's events, wondering if he had said something wrong.

And that’s when it dawned on him. _He_ _hadn’t_ _said_ _anything at all_. 

His heart dropped when he realized that. K must have thought that he didn’t reciprocate the feeling and now things were all awkward when they had been doing so well… He sighed and ran a hand over his face, determined to clear things up. So, when he had the time to, he carefully asked K to speak with him after their nightly inspection.

And so, eight o’clock rolled around and Finkel was standing there, in front of K, in his office, after giving him a small kiss on his cheek and a _ “Good evening.” _ Before Finkel could say anything, Klenzendorf jumped right in.

“Listen, Freddy- About last night…” He took a breath as he let go of his pride. “I’m sorry for saying what I said. I was drunk-” He barely had anything to drink the other night, but at this point, he just wanted to fix things- So excuse it was. “So I was babbling. It was too personal and I understand that if you-”

“K,” Finkel softly hushed; the captain pausing as he did so. The sub-officer draped his arms over the captain’s shoulders, his wrists crossing over one another as he stepped closer. “I love you too.”

Klenzendorf took a moment to process the other’s words before a relieved smile found its way into his face. “Oh thank God.”

Finkel giggled and pecked his partner’s lips. “I’m sorry I didn’t say it last night,” He apologized. “I had to-” He swayed his head back-and-forth a bit. “Pull myself together.”

“I understand,” K replied in a soft voice, honestly just relieved that he hadn’t ruined things-  _ and _ that Freddy loved him back. He slowly lifted one of his hands (being careful to not startle the sub-officer) and cupped the side of Finkel’s face. “I got so lucky with you- Do you know that?”

The sub-officer smiled and titled his head towards the touch. “I think I’m the lucky one,” He rubbed the back of K’s neck with his thumbs. “I’ve got a charming and compassionate captain standing in front of me.”

“I could say the same of you, Freddy.”

The taller man’s smile only grew as he let out a small hum.  “I love you,” Finkel playfully crooned.

Klenzendorf chuckled. “I love you too.”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> AHHH a back to back post babey!! I'll be posting again soon because i've got a hella cute AU <3


End file.
